A South African National Parks employee was arrested and charged with breaking into a SAPS storeroom and stealing equipment and supplies. The suspect attempted to conceal the crime but was caught by police. The acting Mpumalanga police commissioner emphasized that law enforcement will not tolerate criminal activity.
A South African National Parks (SANParks) employee was recently arrested and charged for allegedly breaking into a storeroom belonging to the South African Police Service ( SAPS ) Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit. The incident occurred on January 23, 2025, at the Skukuza station in Mpumalanga . Johannes de Beer, the arrested employee, is accused of stealing state-owned crime scene equipment, cleaning supplies, and sets of knives.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the investigation revealed that the storeroom appeared to have been burglarized twice, both times allegedly by the same suspect. The Stock Theft Unit members became suspicious after noticing unusual activity outside the storeroom, prompting them to launch an investigation. During their investigation, they discovered that the storeroom had been broken into and several items were missing. Mdhluli stated that officers believe de Beer attempted to conceal the crime by returning some of the stolen items to their original locations, but his efforts were unsuccessful. The acting Mpumalanga police commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, emphasized that law enforcement agencies will not tolerate criminal activity within their jurisdiction. Mkhwanazi stated, 'We do not want anything that may disturb our operations related to crime-fighting in the park, including poaching. We are glad that an arrest was swiftly made after a break-in in one of our storerooms.' He further stressed that anyone who commits a crime will be held accountable, regardless of their position or status. 'The matter is going to court, and we believe that the law will take its course without fear or favour,' Mkhwanazi concluded
Sanparks Employee Arrest Break-In Theft SAPS Storeroom Skukuza Mpumalanga Law Enforcement Crime Investigation
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